OPINION:
Why does the government have to perform the same research experiments over and over, for 40 years or more, getting the same conclusions at the cost of billions of dollars (“Curbing the use of canine guinea pigs,” Web, Jan. 31)? And how many painful deaths must their animal subjects suffer?
The verbose justification for their medical experiments is a self-righteous, sanctimonious excuse for busy work for paid government employees — never mind that we know what smoking does to our health. As for torturing puppies by drilling holes into their brains or inducing heart attacks by forcing treadmill “exercise,” your editorial said it best: “The VA has yet to identify a single medical advancement … that has resulted from nearly a century of torturing dogs.”
Is this not the same Veterans Administration that captured headlines for months by manipulating information concerning the patient-doctor wait time for appointments? And by the way, what was the number of veteran deaths from that?
The VA has not lived up to its mission to veterans. But it certainly has spent much government money — and to what result? I say we shut the VA down and privatize veterans’ medical care. The VA budget money could pay to treat our veterans. Now that sounds like a win-win situation for veterans and animals.
HELEN D, KOELLE
EMMETT LAUER
Silver Spring
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